Book-support.



H. H. SENDERS.

BOOK SUPPORT. Y APPLICATION FILED ,JULYs, 1912.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

| l I l I HENRY H. SENDEBS, OF EAST KINGSTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

Application filed July 8, 1912. Serial No. 708,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. SENDERs, a subject of the Russian Empire,residing at East Kingston, in the county of Rockingham and State of NewHampshire, have invented an Improvement in BooloSupports, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to certain improvements in book-rests orsupports, and has for its object to provide a device of this character,which is particularly adapted to be supported on the body of a personwho wishes to read while lying on his back, and which is also adapted tobe supported on a bed, or in various other ways.

A further object is to provide a support adapted to hold the book openand which is also adapted to be readily adjusted so as to permit theleaves to be turned.

I accomplish these objects by the means shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which, 1

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bookrest made according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a slight modification.

The device is preferably constructed of wire bent in suitable form, andcomprises a stand which is formed to provide a pair of supportingsections, the wires of which they are composed each being bent toprovide a pair of legs a, a, which extend laterally and also forwardlyand rearwardly,

respectively, in an oblique direction, each pair of legs having aconnecting baseportion Z), which extend in parallel directions and arecurved upwardly. The ends of the sections in their middle portions aretwisted together, forming a stem 0 upon which the book-engaging memberis supported.

The book-engaging member comprises a rectangular shaped back-engagingportion bent to provide a horizontally disposed bar (Z, from the end ofwhich two side bars 6 depend, said side portions being extendedhorizontally forward at approximately right angles to the plane of theportions (Z and e to provide book-supporting portions f, and beingcoiled about a pair of front bars 9 and then extended obliquelydownward, to provide bracing portions it, having hooks h in their ends,which removably engage eyes 2' in the front legs a. A pair ofintermediate bars are provided which are connected at their upper endsto the bar d and extend parallel to the bars 6, and then horizontally,and convergently, to provide book-supporting portions 70, and downwardly.to enter the upper end of a sleeve m, which is also adapted to receivethe stem 0 at its lower end. The ends of the front bars 9 are alsoarranged in the sleeve m and said ends may, for convenience, all besoldered therein to provide a permanent connection therewith. Said bars9 are extended horizontally in opposite directions and then upwardly toprovide side bars and are each bent reversely adjacent their lower endsto provide oppositely disposed U-shaped portions 0 and 39 adjacent thelower end thereof and similar portions 9 and r, at the upper endsthereof, the straight portions of said side rods n extendingapproximately parallel to the bars 6, and all of said bars beinginclined rearwardly to some extent. Said side rods n are extendedrearwardly beyond the Ushaped portions 7 to provide top portions n andthen horizontally toward each other and downwardly to the bar (Z towhich it is secured, to provide a back portion M.

A leaf-holding bar .9 is provided, having eyes 8 in its ends, throughwhich the side rods n extend, so that said bar may be slid thereon toany desired position. A bar 25, similar to bar 8, is also provided atthe upper portion of the side rods 12.

When the device is to be used, the sleeve m is placed on and secured tothe stem 0, a set screw 14 being preferably provided to secure thesleeve thereto. The book is placed upon the holder, so that it restsagainst the parts (Z, c, j and n and is supported by the horizontalportions 7 and 70 of the support, and when opened, the bar 8, which willusually be held on the lower portion of the rod n, is lifted and movedabout the two bends 0 and 20, so that it is carried inwardly, andpressed against the book, causing it to hold the book open. When. it isdesired to turn a leaf the bar .9 may be moved outwardly on the bentportions p and 0, so as to carry it away from the book, and, after theleaf has been turned, it may be moved back to the position of Fig. 2.The bar 2? may be used in a similar manner and is preferably employedwhen the book is longer than the frame, or when it is particularly thin.When not in use the bar 25 will be held on the horizontal portion a atthe upper end of the side rods, as shown in Fig. 2, but, if it is to beused to hold the book open, it will be slid down into the loop portionr, and may be slid onto the loop portion 9, when the leaves are to beturned. Either bar a or 6 may be moved to any desired position on therods n.

The particular form of stand above described is especially adapted tofit upon the body of a person, when lying on the back, the legsspreading to fit about the body and the parallel connecting portionsproviding elongated supports, so that the weight is distributed over aconsiderable portion of the body. The book support is thus securely heldwithout bodily discomfort and the book is held in a position in which itmay be con veniently read.

When the device is not in use, or is to be packed in smaller compass,the stand and book holder may be disconnected by unhooking the stays 1tand loosening the set screws 11-, as will be obvious, and the bookholder may be placed between the opposite pairs of legs of the stand.

In Fig. at I show a slight variation in form of the portions of the legsof the stand which are engaged by the stay hooks. in this form the loopsh are omitted and a right angle bend a is formed in each pair of legs,the vertices of which are engaged by the corresponding hooks.

rosaaea I claim 1. A book-support having a back-engaging portion and apair of longitudinally ex tending rods arranged at each side thereof,and a leaf-holding bar slidably mounted on said rods, said rods havingtransversely extending intermediate portions arranged to guide the bartoward and from said backengaging portion, substantially as described.

2. A book-support having a back-engaging portion and a pair oflongitudinally eX- tending rods arranged at each side thereof, and aleaf-holding bar slidably mounted on said rods, said rods having areversely curved intermediate portion disposed to guide said bar towardand from said backengaging portion, substantially as described.

3. A book-support comprising a stand having a stem, legs extendingdivergently therefrom, an upright book-holder removably mounted on saidstem, and a pair of stay rods removably connecting said holder and saidlegs at each side of said stein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. SENDTERS.

Witnesses L. H. HARRIMAN, Aiconzo W BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

"lltfashington, t1.

